Ingredients:

  • 450 g (1 lb) Linguine or Spaghetti
  • 1 Tbsp (15 ml) Coarse Sea Salt (for boiling water)
  • 450 g (1 lb) Large Shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 3 Tbsp (45 ml) Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 4 cloves Garlic, minced
  • ½ tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
  • ¼ tsp Black Pepper, freshly ground
  • ½ tsp Kosher Salt
  • 120 ml (½ cup) Dry White Wine OR Low-Sodium Stock
  • Zest of 1 large Lemon (reserved)
  • 60 ml (¼ cup) Fresh Lemon Juice
  • 60 g (4 Tbsp) Unsalted Butter, cut into four cold cubes
  • 120 ml (½ cup) Reserved Pasta Cooking Water
  • 60 g (½ cup) Fresh Parsley, chopped
  • 50 g (½ cup) Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese

Instructions:

  1. Pat shrimp dry and season lightly with salt and pepper. Mince garlic and chop parsley. Zest the lemon. Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the linguine and cook until al dente (1-2 minutes shy of recommended time).
  2. Just before draining, reserve at least 1 cup (250 ml) of the starchy cooking water. Drain the pasta immediately.
  3. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the seasoned shrimp in a single layer. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes per side until pink and opaque. Do not overcook. Transfer the cooked shrimp to a clean bowl, leaving the flavored oil in the skillet.
  4. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the minced garlic and red pepper flakes to the skillet. Sauté gently for 60 to 90 seconds, until fragrant. Do not let the garlic brown.
  5. Increase the heat to medium. Pour in the white wine or stock. Scrape up any brown bits stuck to the bottom of the pan and let the liquid reduce by about half (2-3 minutes).
  6. Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the reserved lemon juice and half of the reserved pasta water. Remove the skillet from the heat momentarily. Add the cold butter cubes one at a time, whisking vigorously after each addition until the sauce is creamy and emulsified.
  7. Return the skillet to low heat. Add the drained pasta directly to the sauce, along with the lemon zest and most of the chopped parsley. Toss well.
  8. If the sauce looks too thick, add more reserved pasta water, 1 Tbsp at a time, tossing continually until the sauce lightly coats the pasta strands. Fold in the cooked shrimp and the Parmesan cheese. Toss just until the shrimp are warmed through.
  9. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve immediately, garnishing with the remaining fresh parsley and extra grated cheese.